My 2019 Reading List

My 2019 Reading List

These are a list of books I have every intention of reading in 2019. I’m only including books that I already own, since I’m not allowed to buy media this year (that’s why libraries exist, y’all). Here’s what on the docket!

Becoming by Michelle Obama. I’m listening to this one, because I want Michelle’s amazing voice to soothe all of my ills.

My Squirrel Days by Ellie Kemper. I’m listening to this on Audible right now and loving it. Ellie is so sweet and super funny.

All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung. I started this about a month ago but had to put it off until school was over so I could truly enjoy it.

Not That Bad: Dispatches from RapeCulture, edited by Roxane Gay. I read most of this book in the spring but never got around to finishing it. Some of the essays can be extremely challenging to get through. The writers bare their souls.

Shrill by Lindy West. Discovered Lindy way late, on Dear Prudence, and have been obsessed with her ever since.

WonderfulTonight by Pattie Boyd. Pattie has the up-close-and-personal deets about Harrison and Clapton

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. Been meaning to read this one for ages.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. I started this earlier this year but it got sacrificed to the grad school gods. As soon as I’m finished I’m watching the film.

Live from New York.The SNL book! Been dying to read this ever since it came out.

Waiting for the Punch by Marc Maron. This is a collection of all the wisdom he gained doing his interview podcast WTF with Marc Maron. He basically invented podcasts, and he’s had some of the most incredible guests—Barack Obama say whaaaat?

Bitch Doctrine by Laurie Penny. I discovered Laurie on Dear Prudence and immediately started following her on Twitter. She’s a savage, and I love her.

Unladylike by Cristen Conger and Caroline Ervin. The former ladies of Stuff Mom Never Told You wrote a book!

Hard Choices and What Happened by Hillary Clinton. Because of course I am.

In Intimate Detail by Cora Harrington. Remember the thin privilege Twitter thread this summer? That was by Cora, who is a lingerie writer at The Lingerie Addict. I know literally nothing about lingerie, but I’m a grown-ass woman and it’s about time I did.

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Started this one years ago and never finished. I am such a distracted reader!

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. I am a Handmaid’s Tale stan (both the book and the show), so I can’t wait to read more Atwood!

Flaubert’s Parrot by Julian Barnes. JB is one of my favorite short story writers, so I’m pumped to read his novel.

How to Rent a Negro by Damali Ayo. This was on the syllabus for my American Racial Satire class, but I fell behind and never got a chance to read it.

Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I KNOW. It’s insane I haven’t read this already. Don’t come for me. Not every avid reader can read every damn classic.

Erasure by Percival Everett.I Am Not Sidney Poitier is one of my favorite books of all time and apparently this one is even wilder.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Another classic I should have already read.

Every Day by David Levithan, because who doesn’t need a YA break every once in a while?

Redefining Realness by Janet Mock. For obvious reasons.

The Merry Spinster by Daniel Mallory Ortberg. For obvious reasons.

The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier. Love a good biography, and I find SP so inspiring.

Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. I’ve read at least 60% of this book like three times, but always end up not finishing it for some reason! Here’s to a better 2019.

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Same as Housekeeping.

Swing Time by Zadie Smith. Bought this while I was in England. Zadie is bae.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han. Heard such good things about this one!

All the Lives I Want by Alana Massey. To be fair, I’m a good chunk of the way through this one on Audible, but I do plan to finish it soon.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. This is another one I read most of in high school, but I bought it on Audible narrated by Maggie Gyllenhaal, so I plan to listen to it on my work commute.

Basic Witches by Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman. I am obsessed with Jaya, and who doesn’t want to read a book about summoning success, banishing drama, and raising hell?

MAUS I & II by Art Spiegelman. Because I was supposed to read them for class (oops!), and because I want to challenge myself to actually read a graphic novel.

So Close to Being the Shit, Y’all Don’t Even Know by Retta. Audible, and Retta is my favorite.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara. Audible. When Michelle McNamara died, Julie Klausner re-aired an interview with her and she was such a brilliant mind.

This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Philipps. Audible. Busy is the best, from Kim Kelly to Busy Tonight.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Lifeby Eric Idle. Monty Python is my favorite ever.

I hope to read more than this in 2019, but clearly, I have a great year of reading ahead of me!